Most current Linux distributions haven�t had telnet or ftp installed by default for a long time. I�m actually surprised they hadn�t done this sooner. Don�t get me started on the issue of passwords on these devices.Īnyway, my point is that because Apple�s target market users tend to be less technical than other platforms, my feeling is that they do have some responsibility to protect users from doing stupid things and from others doing it to them. Today, even if the device manufacturers do make a firmware update (as most of the affected devices probably use PRAM or something similar) getting the user�s to update is darn near impossible. Telnet was used 30 years ago because all you�d ever use was a portable connected to the device through an RS232 cable.
I suspect you�re not alone, but I�ve also heard about all kinds of things using telnet interfaces that should never have been exposed to the internet in the first place… things like internet routers… and power station nodes (ya know, the ones that connect our towns to the national power grid)… and corporate backup generators. I work with devices every day that have nothing but telnet and don’t have SSH on them!